SAN ANGELO, TX — The 14th Street Homeless Community Cookout with Chef Tim Condon was a chance for camp residents to come together and share a meal without having to contend with any judgments, harassment, or embarrassment from outsiders.
The intention of the Community Cookout was for Chef Tim and San Angelo LIVE reporters to connect with residents and hear their stories to help spread awareness and better understand their circumstances and mindsets.
Initially, Chef Tim planned to grill fajitas for everyone and learn about the personal struggles of residents using food as the preferred medium. The primary purpose of the occasion was never to simply provide a meal for camp residents, although everyone who participated showed tremendous appreciation and gratefulness for the food. Condon explained to residents that he enjoyed hearing about various foods people ate growing up, food types people preferred, and foods they would choose for their final meal on death row before execution.
Surprisingly, the plan to use these three questions to interview residents and explain their backgrounds and preferences quickly morphed into something completely different. The head camp enforcer Lalo, presented an alternative idea that captured the imaginations and enthusiasm of everyone involved. His idea was to turn the cookout into a cooking competition or a “Chef-Off” challenge between Chef Tim and the camp’s head Chef Richard. Richard was one of three primary camp cooks. Richard’s reputation as the best cook in the camp was unanimously agreed upon by residents.
Chef-Off Between Chef Tim and Camp Chef Richard
(Credit: SA LIVE, Lucas Banda)
LIVE Reporter Lucas Banda Getting Content During Cook-Off
(Credit: SA LIVE, Matt Cutrer)
Lucas Band LIVE Reporter Films Camp Footage
(Credit: SA LIVE, Matt Cutrer)
The “Chopped Style” Chef-Off Challenge
Competition Rules:
- Time Limit: Chef Tim and Chef Richard were given one hour to grill both beef and chicken fajita meat, along with veggies using wood-burning grills.
- Freestyle: No preparation or cooking method was off limits; The Chefs were allowed to use any seasoning, secret ingredients, and grilling methods.
- Judging: The chicken and beef fajita meat was judged by a panel consisting of three camp residents. The judges were required to sample chicken fajita meat from two separate anonymous plates. One plate was labeled “A-Plate” and the other “B-Plate.” Neither the judges nor the audience were told which plate belonged to which Chef.
- Criteria: Judges were required to use specific criteria to judge the fajita including tenderness, smokiness, flavor, and overall enjoyability.
- Voting: After each judge compared the fajitas through feedback using the above criteria to, they were required to choose between “A-Chicken fajita” and B-Chicken fajita. Finally, judges voted using the same process for the beef fajitas.
Chef Tim and Matt Cutrer at the Camp Cook-Off
(Credit: SA LIVE, Lucas Banda)
A Few Camp Residents Participating in the Cook-Off
(Credit: SA LIVE, Matt Cutrer)
The Winner
The results of the challenge were decided through fair and honest reviews by camp judges.
Chicken Fajita Winner: The judges voted unanimously for A-Plate Chicken as the overall best choice due to better flavor and less smokiness, which they deemed overpowering from B-Plate Chicken.
Beef Fajita Winner: Again, judges voted unanimously in favor of B-Plate Beef due to better tenderness, flavor, and spot-on smokiness.
After this was decided, everyone learned which Chef was responsible for A-Plate and which was connected to B-Plate. It was announced that Chef Richard grilled A-Plate Chicken and Chef Tim grilled B-Plate Beef.
Chicken Fajita Winner: Chef Richard
Beef Fajita Winner: Chef Tim
San Angelo LIVE Food Fight; Grill-Off Video in Production
San Angelo LIVE will release a video production of the experience that will include explanation, commentary, and analysis throughout the footage to enhance the overall experience for viewers. LIVE producers are currently in the post-production phase, editing existing footage taken during the cooking challenge and filming a post-cook-off, in-studio analysis of the experience. The ultimate goal of this video is to spread awareness and increase community involvement in reducing homelessness in San Angelo.
The Experience
The unexpected cooking battle between the two chefs created camp-wide excitement and involvement like never before. Residents were engaged, entertained, and comfortable participating in the competition since everyone was able to interact on an equal playing field. While participating in the challenge, residents felt safe and comfortable enough to voluntarily share their testimonials. Residents revealed specific circumstances that led to their homelessness, how long they had been homeless, and how the camp had evolved over many years. Since residents told their stories completely unprovoked, they were more forthcoming, candid, and willing to share intimate details about their lives. By preparing and sharing a meal through a fun and interactive cooking competition, camp residents, Chef Tim, and LIVE reporters were able to spend an enjoyable afternoon together as people who live alongside one another in a shared community called San Angelo.
Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily
Required
Post a comment to this article here: